Weekly Letter 77
My beloved friends and family,
How's everybody been? I'm feeling just a little bit tired, but a happy kind of tired. I really feel good about the things I did this week. Elder Bonett and I worked the hardest and most efficiently we ever have.
I would just like to share a thought that has occurred to me many times: What is it that we truly want to do with our time while we are here? What is it that will make us happy?
This has occurred to me a lot because I have found myself in many moments where I would be working effectively and feeling satisfied with the work that I am doing, even as a missionary, and yet in these same moments I feel like I want to do something else, often just to rest. I wouldn't want to admit it, as it is the goal of every missionary who wants to change during his mission to learn to be a consecrated missionary, and therefore to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. But I think this is something that happens to every missionary who is less than perfect. And I think this may be something that happens to everyone, because we are all human, and we all feel like we need a rest.
But what I have learned from my mission, and what I have a testimony of now, is this; that happiness and true joy come from willingly doing the will of the Lord. That is, without surrender, following His instructions, and constantly striving to do what is right. Have I constantly chose the right thing, so much as that there hasn't passed a single minute throughout the day in which I chose to do wrong? No, I haven't. But I have experienced consecration in very particular, precious moments. And it is truly awesome. It is a lot better than obeying grudgingly.
I hope that one day we may all learn to be consecrated disciples of Jesus Christ. All we need is to know what it is we want to do which is good, and let that grow. I will include some scriptures which touch on this subject.
The growth of faith, and the growth of our constant desire to do good and to do the will of the Father, Alma 32:28:
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
The Savior's mission, to do the will of the Father. John 6:38,40
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The happy state of those who do the will of the Father. Mosiah 2:41
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
I know that Christ lives, and that this is His Gospel. I know that if we seek to do good, we will have His Spirit to be with us, and the Spirit will change us. I leave these things with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Your friend,
Elder Dredge
No comments:
Post a Comment